Featuring Luques Curtis (bass) & Richie Barshay (drums) Experience an unforgettable evening of world-class jazz as the 2025 Grammy Award-winning Zaccai Curtis Trio comes to The River Room Performing Arts Venue in Willimantic for an intimate performance featuring bassist Luques Curtis and drummer Richie Barshay .
Fresh off winning the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album for Cubop Lives , pianist, composer, and bandleader Zaccai Curtis has established himself as one of today's most exciting voices in jazz.
A Connecticut native and graduate of the Jackie McLean Artists Collective and New England Conservatory, Curtis has performed with jazz legends including Cindy Blackman-Santana, Brian Lynch, Donald Harrison, Jerry González, Wallace Roney, Ray Vega, Papo Vázquez , and many more.
He is also the founder of Truth Revolution Records , the acclaimed independent label behind numerous Grammy-recognized recordings.
Joining Zaccai is his brother, Luques Curtis , one of the most celebrated bassists of his generation.
A 2025 Grammy Award winner and DownBeat Rising Star Bassist , Luques has appeared on more than 100 recordings and has performed with an extraordinary list of artists including Eddie Palmieri, Gary Burton, Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, Stefon Harris, Sean Jones, Orrin Evans, Christian Sands, Ralph Peterson , and Donald Harrison .
His remarkable versatility and deep musicality have made him one of the most sought-after bassists in contemporary jazz and Afro-Caribbean music.
Completing the trio is internationally acclaimed drummer Richie Barshay , whose résumé reads like a who's who of modern jazz.
Barshay has toured and recorded with Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Esperanza Spalding, Fred Hersch, Kenny Werner, Bobby McFerrin, Joe Lovano, Lee Konitz, Julian Lage, Natalie Merchant , and many more.
A veteran of performances on five continents and featured on over 100 recordings , DownBeat has called him "a major rhythm voice on the rise," while The Guardian praised him as "a major innovator who also knows how to have fun." Together, these three master musicians bring breathtaking virtuosity, infectious rhythms, and fearless improvisation to the stage.
Blending straight-ahead jazz, Afro-Caribbean traditions, and modern creativity, the Zaccai Curtis Trio delivers performances that are both deeply rooted and thrillingly contemporary.
With seating limited to just 65 guests, The River Room offers a rare opportunity to experience Grammy-winning art…
